Poison in our playgrounds |
03 July 2003 - PLAYGROUNDS at two city childcare centres have been closed after tests found that soil was contaminated.
Yarra Council tests found lead and other substances in the playgrounds of the North Fitzroy Childcare Co-operative and the Clifton Childcare Co-operative.
The council notified parents on Monday that preliminary toxicology tests had detected contaminated soil.
Children at the centres will play indoors while more extensive health risk assessments are done.
The North Fitzroy centre has 22 childcare places for children aged eight months to five years, while 19 children under five attend the Clifton centre.
It is believed more than 1200 children have attended the centres -- former houses converted in the early 1970s -- during their 30-year history.
The latest poison soil scare comes more than a year after it was revealed lead, arsenic and other contaminants were found in soil at a Richmond kindergarten.
The council was forced to apologise after admitting staff knew of the contamination in April 2001, but did not tell parents until January last year.
The incident resulted in the departure of the council's former chief executive, Deborah Cole.
Yarra Mayor Greg Barber said the council had taken a cautious approach by closing down the playgrounds before the full extent of contamination was known.
"Parents are unhappy about the exposure and about the issue, but nobody has pulled their kids out,"he said.
"We have a very proactive approach and will be delivering the level of safety parents should expect from our facilities."
Soil was tested at five centres due to be upgraded this year.
Of those, three sites have been cleared.
The toxicology report for the two North Fitzroy centres found lead and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, including kerosene and petrol.
"It's not sitting on a toxic dump, but there is some soil contamination,"Cr Barber said.
Cr Barber said the health risk assessments, to be released today, would uncover the extent of exposure, possible sensitivities and how much average babies might have consumed.
The report will also advise the council what action it should take.
Cr Barber said children could be transferred to a vacant Collingwood centre if the council had to close down the two centres.
Source:
Poison in our playgrounds
By MICHELLE ROSE, urban affairs reporter
https://www.heraldsun.news.com.au
/common/story_page/0,5478,6690859%255E2862,00.html
❊ Address ❊
⊜ Fitzroy North 3068 View Map
See Map
❊ Web Links ❊
➼ Poison in our playgrounds
Disclaimer: Check with the venue (web links) before making plans, travelling or buying tickets.
Accessibility: Contact the venue for accessibility information.
Update Page
